1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of portable ladders, and particularly to the field of collapsible portable ladders for accessing roof-top racks of vehicles and boarding ladders for marine vehicles.
2. Statement of the Problem
Roof-top racks are frequently mounted on vehicles to increase the storage capacity of vehicles. Such racks are used for transporting a wide variety of items. These roof-top racks can include bicycle racks, ski racks, and racks for other types of sports equipment, i.e., canoes, wind-surfers, hang gliders, and the like. Luggage carriers are also often mounted on roof-top racks to increase storage capacity. A problem with these racks is difficulty in gaining access to the items carried on these racks. This problem is particularly acute when attempting to load and/or unload items on these racks.
Four-wheel drive vehicles having a high ground clearance and vans having a high roof require an extensive reach in order to use roof-top racks on these types of vehicles. Also, shorter individuals often have difficulty in using roof-top racks due to lack of reach. Attempts to access the items on the roof-top racks on the vehicle usually include stepping in the interior of the vehicle or on a vehicle wheel which places the individual in a off-center position for loading or unloading the items. In either situation, an individual must work around an open door or the vehicle wheel. The vehicle is not designed for this type of use and the individual is placed in a precarious position.
Often people carry a riser, such as a small step-ladder, in the vehicle in order to access items on the roof of the vehicle. These risers take up space within the vehicle and are often precarious to use. The ground near the vehicle may be uneven causing the riser to be unstable. Also, the center of gravity of the individual on the riser is over the side of the riser when the individual is placing an item on the vehicle roofor removing an item from the vehicle roof. This places the individual in an unbalanced and precarious position.
A similar problem occurs with commercial trucks and utility trucks. Often, these trucks are sufficiently tall that it is difficult to reach items on upper portions of these trucks. Some of these trucks are even difficult to climb into the operators seat.
Prior attempts to solve these problems include the use of a fixed-ladder, such as ladders mounted on recreational vehicles or on large equipment. Fixed-ladders detract from the appearance of the vehicle as well as disrupting the aerodynamics of the moving vehicle. Normally, the need for access to the roof-top racks is limited according to the type of activity for which the racks are used. Therefore, most of the time a ladder is neither needed or desired on the vehicle. Also, different types of racks and different types of vehicles require different sizes of ladders.
Additional access problems include problems arising with boarding boats and other marine vehicles. This is particularly true for boating activities requiring entry into the boat from the water, such as water-skiing or scuba diving. The individual either must pull their body over the side of the boat to reenter the boat or use a ladder placed over the side of the boat. Boat ladders normally do not extend below the water line of the boat. Thus, an individual must possess sufficient upper body strength to pull themself up onto the ladder in order to gain footing on the ladder, be flexible enough to engage the ladder above the water surface or have assistance in getting into the boat.
Thus, a problem exists in that presently there is no suitable technique for easily accessing items secured on an upper area of a vehicle or for easily boarding a boat from the water.
3. Solution to the problem
The present invention solves this problem and others by providing a portable collapsible ladder. The collapsible ladder of the present invention is stowable beneath a seat or in the trunk of a vehicle. The ladder can be unfolded and easily secured to a roof-top rack, an upper portion of a vehicle or adapted to engage the side rail of a boat when needed. The ladder is securely mounted onto the rack and the vehicle so the individual using the ladder is able to safely manipulate items for loading and unloading.
This ladder is designed not to damage the surfaces of the vehicle on which it is mounted. This ladder is also easily adjustable to fit onto a wide variety of vehicles, including boats, and onto a wide range of rack systems. This ladder can be formed with a plurality of steps as needed.
Other features of the collapsible ladder of the present invention is the compact storage of this ladder. The collapsible ladder can be compactly folded to be stowed in the vehicle or easily transported about. The collapsible ladder of the present invention enables an individual to quickly secure the ladder on the vehicle or rack for ease of access to a roof-top rack for loading and unloading of items.